Horizontally floating car coupler



March 18, A1941. p C. KQCH 2,235,555

HQRIZONTALLY FLOATING CAR COUPLER Man-.h 1s, 1941-. P, C, KQCH 2,235,555

HORIZONTALLY FLOATING CAR COUPLE!! Filed oct. 28, 193s s samtpsheet -2 INVENTOR MM f@ M,

,en ,f ATTORNEY March 18, 1941.v P. c. KocH HORIZONTALLY FLOATING CAR COUPLE!! IVI!! w 3 Sheets-Sheet,- 3y

Patented Mar. 1s, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,235,555 HoRJzoN'rALLY FLoATING GAR ooUPLEn Application October 28, 1938, Serial No. 237,427

9 Claims.

This invention relates to draft rigging for toy railways and. more particularly to means for vcoupling'and uncoupling adjacent cars of a toy train as a consequence of movement or approach of the cars along curved stretches of track as Well as along straight stretches of track.

In coupling devices for this purpose it has heretofore been the custom to bias by spring means or variably to station by linkage movement, the interlocking coupler parts in definitely predetermined positions for proper cooperation corresponding-to different degrees of swinging of the -wheel truck away from straight alignment v with the longitudinal center line of the car.

-Such means have been considered necessary to enable carswhich are rounding a curve to be coupled together. 'Ihis has involved. complexity of mechanism and parts of fragile nature which are highly undesirable in toy cars Whose mecha- -nisms are exposed to abuse through careless handling by children and thlereby easily deranged.

One object of this invention is to provide coupling parts capable of interlocking merely as the -result of approaching movement of adjacent cars, capable of accommodating themselves to the relative swinging of thev coupled cars when rounding curves in the track, and requiring no biasing means Vnor linkage actuating means for positioning the coupling parts thereby to simplify and render more rugged the construction of such parts and reduce their cost of manufacture.

A further object is to employ coupling parts having these capabilities which are identical at each end of each car thereby to make universal the ability of either end of any car to be automatically coupled with either endof any other car having a like coupling or with a toy locomotive or other piece of toy rolling stock.

A further obj-ect is to provide coupling devices having these characteristics which will lend themselves to ready manual uncoupling, or to automatic uncoupling as a result of two coupled cars passing an uncoupling station positioned at any desired point along the track.

The foregoing and other objects of the present improvements will appear in greater particular in the following description of possible forms of embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig.1 is a plan view of the end portions of the platforms of two cars coupled together by devices embodying the present improvements and adapted to travel along a curved stretch of track.

Fig. 2 is a bottom `plan view looking upward (Cl. Z13-104) at the end portion and one car and coupler of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View taken in section on the planes 3-3 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the track.

coupler part taken in section on the planes 5-5 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is plan View of companion coupling parts'of adjacent cars shown on the same Scale as in Fig. 5, these parts appearing in one of the relative positions they may occupy when first brought into contact upon approach of the cars before the couplers have interlocked.

Figs. '7 and 8 show respectively the relative positions which the parts in Fig. 6 successively assume during their automatic coupling action.

Fig. 9 is a plan view similar to Fig. 6 showing the companion coupling parts of adjacent cars in different relative positions which they may occupy when rst brought into contact upon approach of the cars.

Figs. 10, 11 and l2 show respectively the relative positions which the parts of Fig. 9 succes'- sively assume during their automatic coupling action.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged View of the end portions of' adjacent cars and track showing in side elevation a modified construction of the coupling devices which enables them to be automatically uncoupled or manually uncoupled from a point beside the track, the car platform and truck and certain other parts appearing in central vertical section onl the plane I3-I3 in Fig. 14 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 14 is a view taken in section on the plane `lll---Ill in Fig. 13 looking in the direction of the arrows, the truck, wheels and track being omitted.

As the problems of mechanical action which confront successful automatic coupling of cars are much more complicated upon curved stretchthe spaced sleepers 3|.

The showing of the end portions of cars Ill and` vIl in Fig. 1 assumes identical construction of' both cars and of both trucks, such as may bl.

duplicated at each end of every car, locomotive, or other piece of rolling stock comprising the toy train. The interengageable coupling devices may likewise be identical, in each case including the simple hook-like part designated as a whole by I'I pivotally connected by the rivet I8 to the free end of the draw bar i6 whose other end is fast to the truck so that the draw bar i9 swings in unison with the truck. A tongue 2i struck down from the circularly ribbed table 22 of the truck enters and snugly fits an aperture 23 in the draw bar to insure this result. The end 4apron 32 of each car contains a horizontally elongated aperture 33 in which the draw bar I9 freely swings relative to the car in unison With the swinging movement of the truck relative to the car.

The free end of draw bar I5, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6', terminates in spaced bent-up lugs 24, 25 between which the draw arm 26 of the coupler I'I is free to float or swing without bias in a horizontal plane between limits determined by said lugs. The cam-like reactive portions of the coupler I'I include a tail piece 21 and a rounded head 28 terminating ,in the abruptly hooked nose 29, all of which portions are stifened by the externally projecting rib 38 which extends horizontally throughout these portions. Thus the coupler may, if desired, be made from thi-n and light-weight sheet metal.

For convenience in describing the action and reaction of cooperative couplers in Figs. 1 and 6 to 12: inclusive, the above described parts of the coupler of car I8 are respectively indicated by lthe same reference numerals primed in the case of the `coupler Il' of car II.

The operation of the coupling devices of Figs. 1 to l2, inclusive, will be described with particular reference to Figs. 1 and 6 to 121 inclusive. The broken lines A-A and B-B in the last said groupof gures indicate a typical angular relationship of trucks when approaching on a curved stretch of track. Thus these lines also approximate the direction of movement of the pivots I8 and I8 toward each other at the time the parts are positioned as shown in each of these gures. In Fig. 6 it is assumed that in the absence of means to bias the arm 26 either toward lug 24 or toward lug 25, and in the absence of means to bias the arm 26 in either direction either toward lug 24 or toward lug 25', that these arms 26 and 26 may arbitrarily be related as shown in Fig. 6 upon the coming into contact of tail piece 21 of coupler I1 with the rounded head 28 of coupler Il. The consequent thrust against tail 2l as the cars continue to approach each other will result in a tendency of coupler I1 to swing counterclockwise about its pivot I8 and will result in a simultaneous tendency of coupler I'I to swing counterclockwise about its pivot I8. As this tendency to swing is more pronoun-ced upon coupler I'I' than upon coupler Il at the beginning of the approach, the arm 26 will be swung over into engagement with lug 25', as shown in Fig. 7, as the rounded head 28 travels into contact with the tail piece 2l. Continued approaching travel of the pivots I8 and I8 with their respective car trucks will result in rounded head 28' forcing the arm 26 to swing over into engagement with lug 25 because of the pressure thus exerted on tail piece A2'I so that the parts will assume the positions shown in Fig. 8. Here the cars have approached the limit permitted bythe coupling device and upon subsequent separating travelof the cars, couplers Il and Il' will securely interlock as shown in Fig. 1 being prevented from slipping out of impelling engagement by the hooked nose pieces 29 and 29'.

In Fig. 9 it is assumed that the couplers I'I and Il' happen to be related differently than in Fig. 6 when they are iirst brought into contact for intercoupling. Here, because the arm 26 is against the lug 25 and because the arm 26' is against the lug 25', the initial contact is between the rounded heads 28 and 28' of the two couplers. Pressure between these contacting surfaces reacts in a direction normal thereto and sets up a tendency of coupling I1 to swing clockwise about its pivot I8 and a simultaneous tendency of coupling I'I to swing clockwise about its pivot I5 so that `the parts move into their positions shown in Fig. 10. Continued approach of pivots IS and I8 with their respective cars results in the tail piece 21 contacting the rounded head 28 and the tail piece 21 contacting the rounded head 28. This imparts, as described in connection with Figs. 6 to 8, a contrary or counterclockwise rotation of the couplers about their respective pivots which brings ythe couplers into their relationship shown in Fig. 12 after which separating movement of the cars will result in the interlocking of the couplers indicated in Fig. 1.

With particular reference to Fig. 9 it is pointed out that if the cars were aligned on a straight stretch of track with the bars 26 and 26' midway each pair of lugs 24, 25 and 24', 25', respectively, the presence of angle X in the disposition of the coupling surfaces which would then engage will cause the pressure of each coupling head upon the other to cam both couplings clockwise about y their respective pivots and thus avoid dead centering of the line of pressure of either coupling against the other with respect to the coupler piv- Vots I8 and I8.

From the foregoing description of operation it is seen that coupling devices embodying the `travel over straight tracks and tracks of varying curvature and without cramping under any circumstances. The hooked ends 29 and 29 prevent acciclental uncoupling. They will likewise accommodate their coupling action to considerable lack of designed accuracy in the relationship of the trucks and ci the draw bars I9 and I9 as is bound to be encountered in the inexpensive construction and desirable looseness characteristic of toy trains. At the same time no spring or other form of biasing mechanism is required, and no predetermined definite Ipositioning of the cooperative couplers by complicated linkage movement is needed such as has heretofore complicated the structure of toy car couplers.

In the modified construction of Figs. 13 and 14 corresponding parts are similarly designated. Here the end apron 34 of the car and its aperture 35 is made deeper than the apron 32 and aperture 33 in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, while the truck pivot pin 36 and vlock tongue 31 for the modified draw bar '38 are made longer to produce an axial looseness which permits draw bar -38 upon occasion to be tilted upwardly from its full line position to its broken line position in Fig. 13

Vtimes in engagement with slot 23 to maintain the rotative interlock between truck table 22 and draw bar 38.

Means for manual as well as automatic uncoupling is provided in the lever 39 having handle rportion 49 and retained pivotally under the head 4| of ya stud 42 rigid with and projecting from the car apron 34 so that its opposite downwardly inclined end 43, which is slidably confined between the arcuate guide strip 44 and the car apron, projects laterally beyond the car and over the track. Gravity normally maintains lever 39 in its full line position. Spanning two adjacent sleepers 3|, and mounted rigidly thereon, the inclined uncoupling riser 45 lies in the path of the en'd portion 43 of the un-coupling lever 39 so that. when the car passes this riser the lever 39 is tilted upwardly and automatically from its full line position to its broken line position in Fig. 14. As lever 39 at all times underlies the free end of draw bar 38, the latter is correspondingly tilted to its broken line position in Fig. 13 as permitted by the axial looseness at the truck pivot 36 thereby to eiect disengagement of the couplers at whatever point along the track the riser 45 is stationed. It will be seen that this automatic uncoupling can as well take place at a point along a curved stretch of track as along a straight stretch of track.

Either of additional holes 46, 41 and the additional connecting slots 48, 49 in the draw bar I9 in Fig. 2 may be occupied by the truck pivot 20 and tongue 2| to render the draw bar suitable for use on cars whose end aprons 32 are spaced a less distance from pivot 2U longitudinally of the car.

Many modifications of the exact shapes and constructions herein illustrated and described are possible within the underlying principles taught by this invention and the appended claims are therefore intended to include all equivalents of such shapes and constructions which fairly come within their terms.

I claim:

1. In toy car construction in combination, a

wheel truck having a car carrying table, a car floor structure resting on said table having an end apron containing a horizontally elongated aperture of limited vertical height, a draw bar lbeneath said carrying table of the wheel truck 5 truck table the car floor and the draw bar, and

means preventing the horizontal swinging of said draw bar relative to said truck constructed and arranged to permit tilting of said draw bar relative to said truck table thereby to permit said draw bar to be elevated in said apron aperture suciently to effect disengagement of said coupler with respect tothe corresponding coupler of an adjacent car.

2. In toy car construction the combination dened in claim 1, together with a lever tiltable in a vertical plane extending crosswise the said car oor structure pivotally connected to the said end apron of the car and positioned to underlie the said draw bar, thereby when tilted upward in said plane to lift the said coupler su'iciently to effect its said disengagement from the corresponding coupler of an adjacent car.

3. In toy car construction the combination dened in claim 1, together with a lever tiltable in a vertical plane extending crosswise the said car oor structure pivotally connected to the said apron of the car and positioned to underlie the said draw bar, thereby when tilted upward in said plane to lift the said coupler suilcientlyl to effect its said disengagement from the corresponding coupler of an adjacent car, andl an inclined riser stationed beside the path of travel of adjacent coupled cars, said tiltable lever extending to a position for riding into contact with said riser thereby to be lifted by the latter to uncoupling position during travel ofthe car past said riser. l

4. An automatic coupling including horizontally interacting springless devices for connecting together the bodiesl of toy railroad cars, embodying the combination with track guided wheel trucks pivotally carrying-respective adjacent car lbodies, of a draw bar supported by each of said trucks in a manner to be caused to swing f in unison therewith in pivotal relation to` the car body, hook-like horizontally iioating couplers, connections loosely holding each coupler on the end of its respective draw bar in a manner to be unbiased and free for unresisted horizontal shifting between limit positions through a designed range of movement relative to said draw bar, said couplers being so constructed and cooperatively arranged that they meet and exert upon each other mutually reactive forces urging both couplers to move into interlocked relationship as a mere consequence of the closing together of two cars on either straight or curved track.

5, An automatic coupling including horizontally interacting springless devices for connecting together the Ibodies of toy railroad cars, embodying the combination with track guided wheel trucks pivotally carrying respective adjacent car bodies, of a draw bar supported by each of said trucks in a manner to be caused to swing in unison therewith in pivotal relation to the car body, hook-like horizontally floating couplers, a pivotal connection holding each coupler on the end of its respective draw bar in a manner to be unbiased and free for unresisted horizontal shifting lbetween limit positions through a designed range of swinging movement relative to said draw bar, said couplers being so constructed and cooperatively arranged that they meet and exert upon each other mutually reactive forces urging one coupler to swing rst outwardly and then inwardly for moving both Icouplers into interlocked relationship as a mere consequence of the closing together of two cars on either straigh or curved track.

6. An automatic coupling as dened in claim 5, together with two stop abutments carried by the said draw arm at opposite sides of each of said couplers and projecting into the path thereof, said abutments being laterally spaced and positioned to define a range of unresisted coupler swinging movementA small enough to insure the ability of said couplers to meet and exert upon each other the said reactive forces when the said two cars close together on straight track and large enough to permit said couplers to meet and exert upon each other the said reactive forces when said cars close together on curved track.

7. An automatic coupling as defined in claim 5 in which each of the said couplers comprises a draw arm pivoted to the said draw bar and extending beyond the end thereof, each of said draw arms carrying a curved strip of stii material so formed and disposed that one full edge thereof is upwardly presented and defines a `C-shaped figure located on one side of the longitudinal center Aof said draw arm which figure terminates in a projecting end extending well beyond the opening in said C-shaped figure on the opposite side of said longitudinal center for assisting said couplers -to meet and exert upon each other the said mutually reactive forces.

8. In toy car construction, in combination, a Wheel truck having a car carrying table, a draw bar face-to-face with the under surface of said table and projecting from the wheel truck, and a pivot device extending through the truck table and the draw bar constructed to hold the same axially ltogether in a manner to permit free swinging movement and limited tilting movement of said draw bar relative to said truck, said ytruck'table having a'projecting tongue and said draw bar having ahole engageaible by said pvot :device together with a jslot engageable by said tongue-in a manner to permit said tilting movement and to prevent relative swinging movement -between said truck table and said draw bar.

9; In toy car construction, in combination, a wheel truck having a car carrying table, 4a car iioor structure resting on said table, a draw bar 4beneath said carrying table of the wheel truck extending therefrom toward the end of said car structure, a horizontal guideway constructed and disposed to vhelp support said draw bar in a manner to permit both horizontal swinging and vertical tilting thereof, a coupler carried by said draw bar on the opposite side of said guideway from said truck, a pivot device extending through the truck table the car iioor yand the draw bar, and means preventing horizontal swinging of said draw bar relative to said truck otherwise constructed and arranged to permit vertical tilt.- ing of said draw bar relative to said truck table thereby to permit said draw bar to be moved vertically relative to said guideway suciently to effect disengagement. of said coupler with respect to the corresponding coupler of an adjacent car.

PAUL 'C. KOCH. 

